Constructional toy with slotted interfitting parts

ABSTRACT

A CONSTRUCTIONAL TOY WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF SLOTTED AND UNSLOTTED INTERFITTING PARTS OF DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES. SOME OF SAID PARTS ARE IN THE FORM OF FLAT MEMBERS HAVING OPEN-ENDED SLOTS, WHEREAS OTHER ARE HOLLOW BASE MEMBERS PROVIDED WITH SLOT-SHAPED RECESSES. ALL PARTS ARE SO CONTRIVED THAT EDGE PORTIONS OF THE FLAT MEMBERS CAN BE FITTED INTO SAID OPEN-ENDED SLOTS IN OTHER FLAT MEMBERS OR INTO SAID SLOT-SHAPED RECESSES IN THE BASE MEMBERS.

T. JACOB March 16, 1971 CONSTRUCTIONAL TOY WITH SLQTTED INTERFI'ITINGPARTS Filed April 22, 1969 .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.3

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B O r R MW Em m T yugmmm his ATTORNEY5 T. JACOB 3,570,169

ERFITTING PARTS March 16, 1971 CONSTRUCTIONAL TOY WITH SLOTTED INT FiledApril 22, 1969 ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Theodor JACOB y in?hisATTORNEYS- United States Patent Ofice Patented Mar. 16, 19713,570,169 CONSTRUCTIONAL TOY WITH SLOTTED INTERFITTIN G PARTS TheodorJacob, 110 Kinzigheimer Weg, Hanau am Main, Germany Filed Apr. 22, 1969,Ser. No. 818,246 Int. Cl. A63h 33/00 US. C]. 46-16 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A constructional toy with a large number of slotted andunslotted interfitting parts of different shapes and sizes. Some of saidparts are in the form of flat members having open-ended slots, whereasother are hollow base members provided with slot-shaped recesses. Allparts are so contrived that edge portions of the flat members can befitted into said open-ended slots in other fiat members or into saidslot-shaped recesses in the base members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a constructionaltoy comprising a large number of slotted interfitting parts which can beassembled in a variety of different ways to construct a multitude ofassemblies of different configurations.

Conventional toys of this kind all consist of disc-shaped parts or unitsof similar kind, and the variety of the configurations that can beassembled is strictly limited. Moreover, the assembly of specific modelsis generally impossible because suitable connecting an dstructuralelements are not available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention toeliminate these limitations. More particularly, it is the object of thepresent invention to include in a toy stable, arbitrarily shaped basemembers that are provided with slot-shaped recesses and that have atleast one face enabling them to stand firmly on a level surface such asa table top.

To attain these objects the present invention provides a constructionaltoy of the above specified kind which comprises a large number ofinterfitting parts in the form of fiat coupling members of differentdesign and sizes, each provided with at least two open-ended slots; flatrectangular and triangular plate members provided with open-ended slotscut into all their peripheral edges; fiat threeand four-armedcross-shaped members, likewise provided with open-ended slots out intotheir edges; and cube-shaped, pyramidal, cylindrical and brick-shapedhol low base members provdied with slot-shaped recesses in theirsurfaces, said interfitting parts being so contrived that edge portionsof the fiat members can be fitted into said open-ended slots in otherfiat members or into said slot-shaped recesses in the base members.

The slots and slot-shaped recesses may be of different lengths.

Preferably the slots in the flat members will all be openended, but someof the fiat members may also be provided with the slot-shaped recesses.

Other members may be disc-shaped or elongated elements provided withterminal enlargements at the end of constrictions for insertion into theopen-ended slots of other members.

Yet another modification may be a coupling member provided with anopen-ended slot at one end and a pin with an enlarged head at the otherend.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ln order that the nature of theinvention may be more readily understood, embodiments of interfittingparts the invention proposes to provide are illustratively shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show three fiat coupling members of different shapesprovided with open-ended slots;

FIG. 4 shows the manner in which these members and slotted circularmembers can be fitted together to form an assembly;

b FIGS. 5 and 6 show two elongated flat coupling memers;

FIG. 7 shows a flat strap-shaped coupling member;

FIGS. 8, 8a and 8b illustrate an unslotted disc-shaped member;

FIG. 9 shows a fiat square member;

FIG. 10 shows a fiat triangular member;

FIG. 11 shows a flat three-armed cross;

FIG. 12 shows a flat four-armed cross;

FIG. 13 shows a flat square member;

FIG. 14 shows a flat coupling member provided with an open-ended slotand a pin;

FIG. 15 shows a cube-shaped base member;

FIG. 16 shows a four-sided pyramidal base member;

FIG. 17 shows a cylindrical base member, and

FIG. 18 shows a bar-shaped base member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3and 4, flat coupling members 1, 2 and 3 are provided with open-endedslots 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and 3a, 3b. The reference numeral 4 denotesslotted circular discs of knovm configuration.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show elongated fiat coupling members 5 and 6 formed withportions narrowed by recesses 6a and 5a. The two coupling members 5 and6 each have terminal enlargements 7 and 7a at the end of constrictionsadapted to fit into the open-ended slots of members of otherconfigurations.

FIG. 7 shows an elongated flat coupling member 8 with open-ended axialslots 8a and 8b at its ends.

FIGS. 8, 8a and 8b illustrate a flat disc-shaped member 9 lacking slotsbut provided with holes 9a and 9b.

The flat square or rectangular member 10 shown in FIG. 9 is formed withopen-ended slots 10a cut into its edges all round.

FIG. 10 shows a similar member 11 of flat triangular shape withopen-ended slots 11a cut into its edges.

FIG. 11 illustrates a flat three-armed cross 12 with openended slots12a. A four-armed similar cross 13 with openended slots 13a is shown inFIG. 12. FIG. 13 shows a flat square structural member 14 in whichopen-ended slots 14a and 14b of different depths are provided.

FIG. 14 illustrates a fiat coupling member 15 provided with anopen-ended slots 15a at one end and formed with a pin 15b with anenlarged head at the other end.

FIG. 15 illustrates a cube-shaped base member 16 provided withslot-shaped recesses 16a in its surfaces.

FIG. 16 is a base member 17 of pyramidal shape with slot-shaped recesses17a, whereas FIG. 17 is a cylindrical base member 18 with slot-shapedrecesses 18a.

Finally, FIG. 18 shows a slab-shaped member 19 with slot-like recesses19a.

Preferably all the base members 16, 17, 18, and 19 are hollow.

What is claimed is:

1. A constructional toy comprising a large number of interfitting partsin the form of (a) fiat coupling members of different design and sizes,

each provided with at least two open-ended slots;

(b) flat rectangular and triangular plate members provided =vvithopen-ended slots cut into all their peripheral edges;

(0) flat threeand four-armed cross-shaped members,

likewise provided with open-ended slots cut into their edges; and

(d) cube-shaped, pyramidal, cylindrical and brickshaped hollow basemembers provided with slotshaped recesses in their surfaces, saidinterfitting parts being so dimensioned that edge portions of the fiatmembers can be fitted into and retained in said openended slots in otherflat members or fitted into and retained in said slot-shaped recesses inthe base members.

2. A toy according to claim 1, also comprising coupling members providedwith an open-ended slot at one end and a pin With an enlarged head atthe other end.

3. A toy according to claim 1, also comprising square fiat plate-shapedmembers with open-ended slots of different depths cut into their edges.

4. A toy according to claim 1, also comprising a member in the form ofan unslotted perforated disc.

4 5. A toy according to claim 1, also comprising unslotted elongatedcoupling members formed with terminal enlargements at the end ofconstrictions for insertion into the open-ended slots of other members.

5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,371,619 3/1921 Greenstreet4625 FOREIGN PATENTS 794,583 9/1935 France 4626 LOUIS G. MANCENE,'Primary Examiner 5 I. Q. LEVER, 111., Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.46-31

